Orthopedic braces are commonly employed on the body of a user to stabilize a skeletal joint that has been weakened by injury or other infirmity. Such braces are made up of a number of rigid support components that are dynamically linked together by one or more hinges to support the joint during user activity. The brace is positioned on the body such that the hinges traverse the joint being stabilized, while the rigid components are secured to the body at a plurality of contact points above and below the joint. Typical hinged orthopedic brace constructions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,633,867; 4,697,583; and 5,063,916.
The utility of conventional hinged orthopedic braces is, however, diminished by a number of drawbacks. The rigid components of conventional braces are bulky and noncompliant, often rendering them uncomfortable for the everyday user and difficult to initially size and fit. Conventional braces pose additional problems for athletic users. Specifically, certain athletic competitions, such as soccer and rugby, have rules barring the use of braces with rigid protruding components because the components create a risk of injury to other players from contact therewith. Conventional braces can also be disadvantageous to the athletic user because the braces have an irregular surface which reduces the desired ability of the user to control balls or other objects impacting the surface and rebounding therefrom during athletic competitions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an orthopedic brace that overcomes the above-described drawbacks. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hinged orthopedic brace that provides the user with a high degree of comfort while wearing the brace. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a hinged orthopedic brace having compact components for ease of sizing and fitting. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a hinged orthopedic brace having only compliant support components, i.e., a hinged orthopedic brace that is substantially free of any rigid support components, yet which provides for control and stability of the desired joint. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hinged orthopedic brace that may be used in athletic competitions having rules barring braces with rigid support components. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a hinged orthopedic brace having a relatively even, flush surface that reduces the risk of injuries to others coming in contact therewith and that permits greater control of balls or other objects rebounding therefrom during athletic competitions.